Joe Public Relations opens a NY office

NEW YORK: Joe Public Relations, a UK-based consumer PR agency, is opening its first international office in New York. Although the official launch is set for January 2001, a small operation will be in place starting November 1.

NEW YORK: Joe Public Relations, a UK-based consumer PR agency, is opening its first international office in New York. Although the official launch is set for January 2001, a small operation will be in place starting November 1.

NEW YORK: Joe Public Relations, a UK-based consumer PR agency, is opening its first international office in New York. Although the official launch is set for January 2001, a small operation will be in place starting November 1.

JPR is a subsidiary of the UK-based hi-tech Text 100 Group. The company has been expanding across the US through its brand, Text 100 International, which opened an office in New York last month and has offices in Boston, Seattle, San Francisco and Rochester, NY.

Tim Dyson, CEO of Text 100 Group, said that the expansion is crucial for creating a competitive global portfolio, and it also improves career opportunities for employees.

'We believe that's the way the industry is heading, and if we don't do that as well, we won't be successful,' Dyson said. 'We want JPR to be a global brand in a slightly different sector than Text 100.'

Focusing primarily on mainstream consumer PR clients, JPR aims to build a roster in the US that will comprise the dot-com world and accounts in the music and fashion industries. In the UK, clients include AOL and Umbro.

JPR has only been around since October 1998. 'We've got a mixture of online and offline brands, and we've built a reputation very quickly,' said Matthew Wood, managing director of JPR. His original staff of nine has grown to 40.